Changeable sign



H. JAQUETTE.

CHANGEABLE SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-10. 1920.

1,400,438. Patented Dec.13, 1921.

By]. F13. 4,

NITED STATES HARRY JAQUETTE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHANGEABLE SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

Application filed August 10, 1920. Serial No. 402,578.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I HARRY JAQUETTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Changeable Signs, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved sign of the readily changeable type in which letters, numerals or other characters can be quickly and easily put in or taken out of position.

Another object is to be able to easily make a sign structure which will be durable and firmly hold said letters, numerals and other characters in proper alignment and so that the structure can be made up of comparatively few parts.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a face view of a sign structure made in accordance wit-h my invention,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1', and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the interchangeable character members made in accordance with my invention. I

Referring to the drawings, my improved sign structure includes two upright end posts 5 which may be madeof wood and which are recessed as shown at 6 to provide a space to permit a number of metallic strip plates 7 to have their opposite ends positioned therein so that said plates can be nailed or otherwise secured to the posts; the portions 8 of said posts serving as an abutment for the opposite ends of said strip plates.

The strip plates 7 are made preferably of thin resilient metal and are positioned one above another as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The intermediate strips 7 have their lower portions bent in the form of a double or ogee curve throughout their entire lengths so as to provide a groove 9 which is open at its top-and a channel 10 which is open at its bottom. By thus bending the strip plates,

portions 13 of the fold.

a partition 11 is provided between the channel and groove of each strip plate and these intermediate strip plates may be secured by nails adjacent their bent or folded portions to the posts 5; The upper edge portions 12 of the intermediate strip plates are free to flex and are so arranged that they are positioned within the channel 10 of the strip immediately above them; the normal tendency of said edge portions 12 being to move forwardly into engagement with the front The channels 10 are much wider than the thickness of the free edge portions 12 and interchangeable members 14 can be inserted with their bottom edges in the grooves 9 and their top edges located between the portions 12 and 13 so that the normal tendency of the parts 1.2 to spring forwardly causes the upper edge portions of said members 1 1 to be clamped against the parts 13. The port-ions 12 of the strip plates however can only be moved rearwardly until they touch the pan titions 11 and said partitions serve as abutting means to limit the rear movement of the portions 12. This distance however is sufficient to permit the thickness of the members 14 to be slid in place and I also preferably insert long strips of cardboard such for example as shown 211715 in front of each of the portions 12 of the strip plates; said strips 15 having their lower edges within the grooves 9 and their upper edges between the parts 12 and 13. This forms a non-metallic background for the character members 14 and improves the appearance of the sign in addition to slightly increasing the frictional resistance between the character members and their supporting structure. The lowermost metallic strip plate'which I have indicated by the special reference character 7 a need only be provided with a single groove such for example as the groove 9 since the lower part of the strip plate 7 need not coact with any additional lower member and forms the bottom of the sign structure between the posts 5.

It will be noted that the arrangement is such that any of the members 14 can be placed in position by first inserting the upper edge into the channel 10 and then pushing the lower edge of said member rearwardly over the groove 9 after which the member can be slid downwardly into the groove 9 and the upper edge portion of said members 14: will remain between the portions 12 and 13. The

portion 12 of the top strip plate 7 is positioned within the channel 10 of a rail 16; said rail being formed by a bent piece of sheet metal and the portion 12 of the upper- I most plate 7 is confined within the channel 10 in the same manner as the portions 12 of the lower strip plates are confined within the channels 10.

. It will be further noted that by bending the strip plates to provide the grooves 9, channels 10, partitions 11 and forward portions 13 that the strip is greatly strengthened and hence I am enabled to make a sign structure merely by arranging the strip plates as specified and securing their opposite ends to the posts 5. Furthermore no back reinforcing structureis necessary since the free edge portions 12 cannot move rearwardly any farther than prescribed by the abutment partitions 11. I may however, as illustrated, arovide a central brace bar 17 at the rear of the strip plates and in the present instance I employ this brace bar as a means of connecting a pivoted leg 18 which can be swung into a position to permit the sign structure to be stood up upon a supporting structure. If desired however the frame structure can be suspended on a wall or the like in any suitable manner.

It will be noted that the character members 14rwhich may contain the letters, numerals or other characters to complete a sign are formed of thin sheet metal such for example as cardboard which have projecting closely positioned ribs 21.

improved sign structure accidental. vibraribs 19 adjacent their side edges; said ribs being produced by forming recesses 20 in the opposite surfaces. Thus as shown in Fig. 5, these members 14: can be overlapped and when pressure is applied by the resilient tion will not cause the letters or other characters to get out of alinement and the sign structure can be quickly and cheaply manufactured.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A sign structure of the character described including strip plates mounted one above another, said plates adjacent one edge having a double fold providing a groove and a channel separated by a partition, the opposite edge portions of said plates being resilient, one of said latter edge portions ex tending into the channel of an adjacent plate and being free to flex between the partition and the opposite wall of the channel, substantially as described.

2. A sign structure of the character described including strip plates mounted one above another, said plates adjacent one edge having a double fold providing a groove and a channel separated by a partition, the opposite edge portions of said plates being resilient, one of said latter edge portions extending into the channel of an adjacent plate and being free to flex between the partition and the opposite wall of the channel, the forward wall of one strip plate being of greater depth than that of the groove of the adjacent strip plate; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. HARRY JAQUETTE.

Witnesses V 'ELIZABETH GARBE,

CHAS. E. Po'r'rs. 

